Guides to Green Living for Gardeners

Gardeners tend to be environmentally conscious. With that in mind here are reviews of some books that offer options and solutions for a greener planet.

“Be the Change You Want to See in the World” is by Julie Fisher-McGarry. This was released by Conari Press. For every single day, this helpful guide offers an earth-friendly tip you can put to use in your daily life. It has a section devoted to each month of the year.

Each section has a theme, such as our relationship to nature. The daily entries include practical ideas along with recipes and background about the earth’s resources. This covers a broad range of topics from genetically modified foods to choosing eco-friendly Christmas gifts.

Living green requires that we become informed consumers. This is a process of self-discovery in which each of us needs to become familiar with his/her own personal buying habits. Whether you’re shopping for gardening supplies or flower pots, buy only what you need rather than what you want.

In order to reach this goal, it is essential that we confront the issue of clutter and the role it plays in our lives. This gives us an opportunity to declutter and give away usable items that are still useful. This process also will help us to permanently change the habits that lead to clutter.

Clutter is the subject of a very enlightening book from New Page Books/Career Press. The revised edition of “Stop Clutter From Stealing Your Life-Discover Why You Clutter and How You Can Stop” is by Mike Nelson. As a former clutterer and leading expert in the field, the author knows his subject well. This engaging book goes to the root of the problem, and provides valuable insight on how you can regain control.

The author also explains the effects that clutter have on our lives and what we can do about it. This covers all the different types of clutterers, the causes of cluttering, and how to go about decluttering. It addresses all types of clutter regardless of the source.

Buying locally is an important aspect of green living. This applies to locally grown foods, garden plants, and other agricultural products. The carbon foot print of local food tends to be much lower. In recent years farmers’ markets have become increasingly popular places to shop.

In most communities, there will be a printed guide of local markets and farms. Here in western North Carolina the “Local Food Guide” is published by the Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project. For some areas, there are also regional books as well. The Countryman Press has released “Hudson Valley Harvest-A Food Lovers’ Guide to Farms, Restaurants and Open-Air Markets.” This invaluable guide is by Jan Greenberg. It is indispensable for visitors and residents of the area.

This must-have guide devotes a chapter to each type of operation. You can learn which growers specialize in what crop or product. There are chapters for fruits and another for vegetables. Another chapter covers locally grown mushrooms, herbs, and flowers. This guide also covers the farms that specialize in livestock, animals, game, fish, and so on. There are also chapters on restaurants and markets.

This book features a map of the area. There are profiles for each grower/operation with contact information and details on what they of